Self-locking wrench



I. CIERPIAL.

SELF LOCKING WRENCH.

APPLICATION mm APR. 6.4921.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IGNACY CIERPIAL, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

SELF-LOCKING- WRENCH.

Application filed April 6,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IGNACY G'IERPIAL, a citizen of Poland, residing atSouth Bend, county of St. Joseph, and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Self-Locking Wrenches, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tools, particularly wrenches,and it is the principal object of my invention to provide a wrench which,allows a free displacement of the movable i 'aw, to bring the samequickly in its nut engaging position with respect to the stationary jawfor readily accommodating the tool to any size of nut to be operatedupon.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a wrench of thistype which allows a locking of the movable jaw in its adjusted positionby the operation of a worm spindle.

With these and other objects in view, I have devised the novel wrenchwhich I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawing forminga material part of this disclosure, and in which- Figure 1 is a sideview of a wrench constructed according to the present invention,

with the movable jaw in its nut engaging position, part of the handlecover being broken ,away to show the interior arrangement, and

Figure 2 is a top edge view of the wrench. The wrench comprises a handlepreferably formed by a metal frame 10 to which the side or lateral coverplates 11 are secured by rivets 12 or the like. I The stationary jaw 13and its shank 14 are integrall made with the-frame 10, and the movablejaw 15, having a socket for the passage of the shank 1 1 of thestationary jaw, is provided with an integral shank 16 extending into theframe 10 between the cover plates 11 thereof, and having a worm adaptedto engage a worm 17 on a spindle 18.

The upper end of this spindle 18 is formed into a head 19 movably heldin a recess 20 of the shank 14, while the lower end of the spindle 18 issmooth, i. e., without worm as shown at 21 and has slidably securedthereto by means of inner keys 22a milled knob 28 which however canrotate with spindle 18, as soon as it engages its square part 21..Between this knob and the end of the worm on spindle 18, a spiral spring24: is

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 459,050.

surrounding the smooth part of the spindle 18.

At the lower end of the frame 10 a seat 25 is secured to the inner wallof the frame and a shoulder 26 is formed within the frame oppositelydisposed and above the seat 25.

The wrench operates as follows- 1n the position of the parts illustratedin Figure 1, the movable jaw 15 is locked against free movement on thestationary jaw 13, by the engagement between the worms and is unlockedfrom its nut engaging position by sliding theknob 23 against the actionof spring 24 on the spindle 18 until it is free to be swung upon theseat 25 by a lateral movement imparted to the spindle 18 moving its head19 in the recess 20 and swinging knob 23 between the seat 25 andshoulder 26 in which position it will be held by the tendency of thespring 24 to expand, allowing a free sliding movement of the movable jawon the stationary jaw.

In the position shown in Figure 1, the movable jaw can be moved againsta nut by the rotation of the knob 23 and spindle 18. The lower end ofthe spindle 18 projects below the knob 23 and normally rests upon thelower, inner and curved end wall of the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A wrench of theclass described comprising a stationary jaw and a movable jaw having asocket adapted to be displaced along the shank of said stationary jaw, amovable spindle, a spring controlled knob at the lower end of saidspindle, means for receiving said knob upon the lateral displacement ofsaid spindle, for unlocking said movable jaw, to allow its freedisplacement on the stationary jaw, and means for allowing a tighteningof said movable jaw in its locked, nut engaging position.

2. A wrench of the class described comprising a stationary and a movablejaw adapted to be displaced along the shank of said stationary jaw, aworm on the lateral edge of said movable jaw, a hollow handle for saidstationary jaw provided with an upper recess, a spindle having a headmovably held in the recess of said handle, a worm extending over thegreater part of said spindle, adapted to be engaged by said worm on themovable jaw, a knob keyed to socket for the passage of the shank of saidstationary jaw, a lateral worm on the shank of said movable aw extendinginto said handle, a worm spindle having an upper head movably secured inthe recess of said handle, its worm adapted to be engaged by the worm ofthe shank of said movable jaw,

a lower smooth part on said spindle, a knob keyed to the smooth part ofsaid spindle to slide thereon .and to rotate therewith, a spring betweensaid knob and the lower end of the worm on said spindle, a seat, and ashoulder co-operating therewith'in the lower part of said handle adaptedto receive said knob therebetween upon the lateral displacement of saidspindle and to lock the same in its position by the intermediary of saidspring, for disengaging said worm, said knob adapted to be rotated torotate the spindle for engaging its worm with the worm on the shank ofsaid movable jaw to allow a tighteningof the movable jaw in its nutengaging position while being in its locked position.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

IGNACY CIERPIAL.

